1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to navigation, specifically to generating and presenting off-road travel routes based on terrain and obstruction analysis.
2. Discussion of the Background
On 1993 Oct. 3, U.S. Army Rangers raided a compound in Mogadishu, Somalia. The U.S. was responding to seizures of humanitarian supplies by the warlord, General Mohamed Aideed. During the raid, General Aideed's forces fired a surface-to-air missile, downing a U.S. Blackhawk helicopter. As a result, U.S. Army commanders redirected foot soldiers and Humvee convoys to aid the injured pilots.
With bullets whizzing and enemy forces closing in on the helicopter's debris, commanders relied on paper maps and surveillance video to generate routes to the injured pilots. The commanders radioed turn-by-turn directions to the soldiers only to discover that many roads along the routes were impassable due to enemy obstructions overlooked in the frenzy. In the ensuing battle—lasting fewer than 24 hours—the U.S. lost two more Blackhawk helicopters and suffered 18 casualties.
A computer-implemented battlefield navigation system would have accelerated the rescue mission and reduced casualties. Such a system would route soldiers around enemy attacks and battlefield obstructions. In addition, the battlefield navigation system would relieve commanders from issuing turn-by-turn directions, enabling them to focus on mission strategy.
Unfortunately, prior to the present invention, no such battlefield navigation system existed. The U.S. Army's latest system for soldiers—the Land Warrior—is limited to simple messaging and map display capabilities. The process of generating routes and guiding soldiers on the battlefield remains tedious and time-consuming.
Inventors have devised, however, a number of systems that serve as a foundation for a battlefield navigation system. These systems are described below.